But after a hard day breaching your ASBO, what do you listen to to unwind? Chris King & Hotel Radio's Light Nights is what you listen to.
Chris King is a very accomplished songwriter. That's all that needs to be said.
But you wouldn't be happy if I left it there, would you?
Light Nights is a masterclass in the less-is-more aesthetic of music. Chris could have, if the mood had taken him, put a grinding guitar solo in every song, buckets of swirling, blazing Hammond organ, but he hasn't, and I'm glad. Every detail, every inclusion, adds to the song. There's no dick-waving, no battling for supremacy - just a message, a voice, and an acoustic guitar at the centre of it all.
The opening track, 'This Ship', brings a jaunty sea shanty that sees harmonies and thunderous claps swish and roll together. It's almost unexpected as an opener, but I've really grown to like it.
From then on in, the Americana begins to shine through. I'm not Bob Harris (who, by the way, has featured Chris King & Hotel Radio on his show), and I've never listened to anything remotely country-ish bar watching Deliverance. But what I can say is Chris King's take on Americana lends itself well to Merthyr; culture, pride, personal ups and political downs - we've both seen our fair share. Even with the heavy focus on Americana, Light Nights isn't into dating its cousin or brewing moonshine. Instead, it carries an elegance, a move away from the angst of youth and wander into the wizened world of maturity.
'Salt of the Earth' is a gentle salute to the ways of old, when men were men, and boys were beaten into men - it's simmering with pride and aching with brotherly blood.
Lyrically rich and dripping with intricate phrases, Chris King has an ear for hooks, and this is beautifully prevalent in 'Just a Man'. The opening line just buries itself deep into your ears - I've found myself muttering 'I'm just a man with a heart and two hands' on more than three occasions this week. These hooks are spread gently over a bed over pure Southern (Walian) soul, without being too self indulgent.
'Dark Days' cleverly sits in the middle of Light Nights, and carries with it a gentle attitude, continually building with a coy smile on its face. It's a real iron fist in a velvet glove. However, I feel that despite all its building, it doesn't actually reach a conclusion. A take on the modern world? All this movement and yet no progress? I'm not sure, but this is one of my favourites on the album. I really want a rip-roaring guitar solo somewhere near the end, just to satisfy my own boyish tendencies. Chris' attention to detail with instrumentation has to be admired, but in this case (and in my humble opinion), throwing some chicken grease on the fretboard and whacking up the Fender Twin would set this track on fire.
Just as I was beginning to miss the sound of crunchy guitars, 'Don't Return' ironically sees the comeback of the proper guitar solo. Flying in on a bed of sliding-guitar, 'Don't Return' brings a sense of poise and confidence, sculpting a thicker sound. The solos are eloquent and very well measured - any more would be sheer dicking about.
After this mid-album energetic burst, Light Nights begins to slow and mellow into a well-crafted descrescendo. 'Forever' is an absolute hidden gem. In most of Chris King & Hotel Radio's work, the songs tend to have their origins in a tinkling acoustic riff, which is then expanded into a carefully considered wall of sound. 'Forever', though, builds upwards. It's a difficult thing to express in words, but listen, and you'll see what I mean. It climbs for the heavens, creating a sense of space and atmosphere that is rarely seen in music today.
But as the old saying goes, you save the best until last. 'Light Nights', the title track, is the crowning jewel in Chris King & Hotel Radio's crown. A sombre yet wryly optimistic tune, the heavy use of strings and piano serve up a velvety smooth, silk-laced canvas that unravels into something tangible in your palms. It has substance; an actual body that walks up to you, turns, and leads away into the distance. 'Light Nights' floored me the first time I listened to it. All solos are controlled, Chris' slight husk is commanding, but not dominating. It is a song worthy of every accolade it can muster.
Chris King & Hotel Radio's Light Nights is an extremely accomplished album. Wrought with finesse, pride, and incredible attention to detail, Light Nights is an album I have learned much from. Less really is more, and it doesn't sound lacking or sparse. It makes me want to sit down, beer in hand, and just listen, and what's more relaxing than that?
And one last thing - judging from his lyrics, Chris King has spent more time in the back of his car than the front. Make of that what you will...
What's Chris King & Hotel Radio's sound?
Well, a large portion of Americana rib-eye, barbecue-glazed, on a plate made of delicate bone porcelain. Drizzle over it a twinge of Jamiroquai-obsessiveness-to-detail and pour on half a bottle of Belle Mead bourbon - and relax as the bourbon takes effect.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chris-King-and-Hotel-Radio/264096113684814?fref=ts
https://soundcloud.com/chrisking-3
@chriskingandhr
Youtube: ChrisKingHotelRadio1
www.ChrisKingAndHotelRadio.com
No comments:
Post a Comment